Internal combustion engine



March 26, 1940.

F. A. ROSS] INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 15, 1959 W 2 w bz umi m m s m mo m ma m V. T WM n Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE This invention relates to internal combustion engines and has for its object the provision of an air cooling system for'use in connection with an internal combustion engine, said cooling system 5 being controlled by the engine exhaust and varying with the performance of the motor and in the preferred form will use the residual warm temperature of the spent exhaust gases to supply a controllable heating auxiliaryto the jacket of the motor. Such'an arrangement will effect a saving in weight and parts usually necessary in water cooled engines and also in fuel energy usually lost through the cooling system and the exhaust of water cooled engines, and will be easily and inexpensively maintained, requiring no anti-freeze mixtures or the like.

In attaining the objects of the invention, the exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine are utilized to operate an air or gas motor which in turn is connected to and operates a blower. through an air jacket surrounding the engine cylinders, said jacket and cylinders being, of course, dimensioned and configured for eflicient 5 removal of heat from the cylinders. In addition there is provided a by-pass valve to enable any desired part of the-air motor exhaust to enter the jacket of the cylinders so as, for example, to initially heat the engine on starting or to sup- 3o ply supplemental heat in cold weather or high altitudes. When the engine is warm enough the valve may be shut to discontinue the flow of exhaust gases into the engine so that thereafter only atmospheric air from the blower is forced cylinders. I The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which the letter A -indicates an internal combustion engine of standard construction such as used, for example, in an automobile, the cylinders being surrounded by an air jacket (not shown). Connected to the exhaust manifold of the engine A through the exhaust port B and pipe C is an air motorD or turbine of standard construction.

The exhaust gases delivered from the engine under pressure to such air motor drive the latterwhich in turn drives a blower G, also of standard construction, coupled thereto by the shaft F. The blower G n-takes in atmospheric air through its intake H and forces it through apipe line I into the air jacket surrounding the engine cylinders, such pipe line being connected to the air jacket by means of a coupling J and intake port K. After circulating through the air jacket the cooling The blower is arranged 'to force air through the air jacket surrounding the engine,

gases are discharged into the atmosphere through a discharge port L of the air jacket directly, or, if desired, through a connection indicated at O to a mufiier X.

The exhaust gases discharged by the air or gas 5 motor D pass through an exhaust line E which is connected to a line,M coupled at its other end to the connection J at the intake end of the air jacket. The volume of exhaust gas flowing into the line M is controlled by a by-pass valve 10 N which is preferably under control at the dashboard and is adjustable to allow either the whole or a part of the gases exhausted from the air motor tofiow into the air jacket of the engine. The gases'or that portion of the gases which are u not returned through the pipe M are exhausted into the atmosphere either directly or, if desired, through a connection indicated at P to a mufiier X. If desired, the exhaust gases-of the air motor D may be introduced-to the air cooling system 20 by being directed into the blower G through a connection indicated as R, in which event the line M may be dispensed with.

From the foregoing it will be evident that when the internal combustion engine A is in 25 operation the gases exhausted therefromi are utilized to drive the air motor D which in turn causes the blower G to force atmospheric air into the air jacket enclosing and surrounding the cylinders of the engine. The air or air and gas 0 mixture passing over the heated cylinders absorbs the heat and carries it off through the exhaust port of the air jacket into the atmosphere. The volume of air forced into the engine will be proportional to the work which the engine is do- 5 .ing as it will be evident that when the engine is speededup the amount of exhaust gases discharged thereby will be proportionately increased thereby increasing the speed of the air motor and consequently the speed of the blower 40 G. When, however, the engine is cold, for example,.when it is initially started up, the gases exhausted from the air motor can be returned through the pipe line M into the air jacket of the engineand as such gases expanding after driving the turbine D retain a temperature in the neighborhood of F., they will initially heat the engine and aid in bringing it up to its working temperatures. When the engine is warm 0 enough the valve is shut off and only atmospheric air enters the blower. When the temperature of the atmospheric air is low, as in cold weather, the dilution of such air with the gases exhausted from the air motor will provide a mixture of M such temperature that the motor will not be overcooled.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the above described method of utilizing the exhaust gases of the engine and the atmospheric air as cooling media will adequately cool the engine so as to avoid overheating and overcooling for as the speed of the internal combustion engine increases, more exhaust gases will be delivered to the turbine or gas motor, while when the speed of the internal combustion engine decreases, less exhaust gases will be delivered. The cylinders and the various parts of the engine therefore will normally be kept at a proper working temperature for its different speeds and this condition will be assured by a proper control of the valve N. This control will be found adequate to prevent overheating or undercooling of the engine because the exhaust gases in going through the turbine, due to expansion and/or other causes, are caused to be materially reduced in temperature until at the exhaust side of the air motor they are in the neighborhood of approximately 75 F. Due to the fact also that such engine gases are diluted with the atmospheric air, their poisonous effects are materially reduced. Furthermore, as the complete cooling unit is propelled by the exhaust gases and no power is taken directly from the drive shaft or any other part of the engine, the power usually utilized in cooling water systems is available for the production of useful work.

I claim:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an air jacket surrounding the enatmosphere.

gine cylinders, an air motor arranged to receive and be driven by the exhaust pressure gases from such cylinders, air cooling means comprising an air blower driven by said air motor and connections between said blower and said air jacket for delivering the atmospheric air discharged by said blower into the air jacket of the engine, means adapted to deliver spent engine gases from said air motor to said air cooling means and means for controlling the engine gases delivered to said air cooling means.

2. The combination of an internal combustion engine having an air jacket surrounding the cylinders thereof, an air motor arranged to receive and be driven by the exhaust gases from such cylinders, a blower driven by said air motor, means for delivering atmospheric air from said blower to the air jacket of said engine and means adapted to deliver spent engine gases from said air motor to the air jacket of said engine.

3. The combination of an internal combustion,

engine having an air jacket surrounding the cylinders thereof, an air motor arranged to receive and be driven by the exhaust gases from such cylinders, a blower driven by said air motor, means for delivering atmospheric air from said blower to the air jacket of said engine, and means including a control for mixing the atmospheric air and exhaust gases from said air motor and delivering such mixture to the air jacket of the engine, said control being operable to vary the proportion of the gases in such mixture to take care of varying conditions of the engine and FRANK A. ROSSI. 

